Return of a Lone Wolf
by Thugs Bunny 009
Summary: She was always on his mind, no matter what he did, where he went, he could not stop thinking about her. Even when he disappeared off of the face of the planet for what he feels to be years. She was till on his mind. Now the infamous eternal lost-boy has returned, all with the hope he could be with her. AkanexRyogaxRanma-chan
1. Home Sweet Home Huh?

**Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z or Ranma 1/2**

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><p>A golden luminescence of a spherical orb randomly appeared on a high skyscraper in the renown crazed-possessed city known as Nerima, home to several cursed fighters. Conveniently, the thunderstorms echoed voluminously, releasing waves of rain continuously, a substance which would've been most catastrophic to the yellow-clad young man overlooking the city with a detached aura hanging over him.<p>

"Finally," He said to himself, noticeably content to feel the rain splash over his form and his trademark yellow bandana, "I've returned."

The tan-skinned young man's garments consisted of the aforementioned yellow bandana wrapped around his forehead, a pair of yellow-tinted goggles over his eyes, a small dark purple-patterned cap fitted on his short black crop hair, (like a turban) and a brown cloak which concealed the remainder of his chosen attire he had chosen to return with to his original homeland.

Looking up, he leisurely allowed the raindrops to fall onto his goggles-clad face as if it was the first time he'd done so, "I'll never forget what you've done for me, Goku-san," He said, thinking of his former mentor with an air of fond reminiscence. "Because of you, I've not only become so much stronger than I ever was beforehand, but I no longer change form whatever water so much as touches my body."

That was the stupidest decision he had ever made in his life. If he could ask the mighty dragon who rid him of his handicapped curse in the first place it would be to send him back in time (just for a few seconds) so he could pound his past-self for even getting the asinine idea to hunt down his former chief rival to the ends of the earth.

…Not his proudest moment for sure.

Though he wouldn't get greedy, because at the end of the day, he had what he wanted at least; to be free of his curses, technically.

"…Just wish my other curse could be cured to," He mumbled miserably, heaving a heavy sigh. It seemed even the otherworldly dragon of complete omniscience was out of answers when it came to ridding the hulking young man of his terrible sense of direction.

"_Aw, don't worry, Ryoga. So long as you keep your mind unclouded, free of any thoughts of negativity, I highly doubt you'll get lost again! Trust me. Now, I want you to promise me you'll keep up with your training, because one day I'm going to come to your world, and when I do, I would be honoured if you'd accept a challenge from me, not as sensei or student but as rivals in the martial arts._"

Ryoga silently gasped, shooting his head up with a startled expression evident on his features after his instincts had triggered a memory of his former sensei's last words to him before he was teleported back to his homeland.

"Feh. You and that indomitable confidence; its damn right infectious, Goku!" Ryoga said jestingly, "Just where do you get it from? And, can you spare me some?"

Roguishly shaking his head in feigned debrief at how mellowed he had become during his years in West City, Ryoga sobbed up, instantly returning to his stoic-exterior.

"Since I'm not exactly Batman, I should get off of this skyscraper," Starting from his martial arts-designed slippers-clad feet, a swirling aura of wind frantically blew his cape-like cloak behind his broad shoulders, revealing his sleeveless yellow Gi-top with a distinct Chinese kanji encircled on his left peak, over a long-sleeved green shirt, a simplistic caveman-like club sheathed to his back, and a pair of yellow Gi pants. Once his feet were off of the ground, Ryoga continued to defy gravity, continuously rising up into the sky until he was in the midst of the clouds themselves, the soundless wind blowing the bangs of his hair.

"As much as I would enjoy knocking Saotome down a few pegs, I would much rather spend time with Akane than prove my superiority to him," Ryoga said with closed eyes, doing a quick scan of the city with his senses in search of his beloved. His desired results came to him near instantaneously, "Good, she's close by, with Saotome coincidently enough, but I supposed that's to be expected."

Grunting slightly, an eternal fiery blaze of green armour sprung to life around his body, giving him the necessary boost of immense speed he used to take off as if he was a super enhanced jetpack.

"After all, they are engaged," He said aloud, considering this train-of-thought more perceptively than he would've done four years ago, 'Trunks and Bulma once insinuated that the time-flow of my homeland and theirs could vary, and, judging by Saotome's static Ki-signature, I would go ahead and say that's about as true as Goku putting an established restaurant out of business,' He quipped with serious consideration.

"Not that it matters, but if Saotome's Ki is anything to base how much time has passed here since my departure I'd say not very much. And if that's the case than there's now at least a four year age-difference between Saotome and myself. Hm." Saotome _really _didn't stand a ghost of a chance against him now, and, as much as that would've made him ecstatic years ago, Ryoga now felt no joy or jest from the discovery.

After all he didn't want to compare himself with Saotome.

Wow. That was a mouthful and so far more eloquently put that a younger Ryoga would've been lost had someone told him all that. He really owed Bulma a lot for his improved intelligence. The amount of sheer hours she dedicated to teaching him the basics of mathematics and Japanese was heart-warmingly touching to say the least.

Ryoga could now say with his own unbreakable confidence that his stuttering days were all but over.

"Well, I guess I'll find out for myself real soon."

In a burst of speed, Ryoga shot forward past several city blocks, leaving a long green stream in his wake.

**Return of a Lone Wolf**

Chapter

Home

Sweet

Home… Huh?

One

XxX

(Elsewhere – Location Unknown)

"D-Damn you!"

A gorgeous young red-haired woman with a pair of busty breasts tiredly stuttered, her form forced painfully to a fence she occasionally ambled on with casual ease. Her aforementioned red hair was styled in a braid, her attire consisted of a red long-sleeved Chinese silk top that appeared several sizes too big for her, though the rain made it cling to her luscious curvy body, and a black sash kept it shut. The last of her gear were navy blue sweatpants, martial art slippers, and a pair of blue wristbands on her wrists.

"Ranma!"

A beautiful blue haired young woman shouted in concern, clasping her mouth with her hands. Having only just finished school, the blue haired beauty wore her school uniform which was made up of a light blue dress that complimented her midnight blue hair, and a similar coloured wrist-high jacket. Underneath those was a white-collared blouse and the last of the young woman's distinguishable clothing was her schoolbag and shoes (on her feet).

Gazing timidly up at the massive demonic-like creature of sheer interrogation, Akane pleaded, "Please! Just leave us alone! We haven't done anything to you!"

The creature slowly rotated his bull-esque head in her direction, grinning so viciously at the overwhelmed girl she instinctively shrank back with a bead of sweat rolling off of her face. Her eyes further dilated in petrified anticipation when the creature tightened its massive fist and cocked it back, launching it at Ranma with surprising speed. Ranma could do nothing but close her eyes and await the pain that would inevitably befall her.

A purple dashing blur first caught the blue haired beauty's eyes, followed by the demonic being's fist being halted soundlessly in place by no more than a mere diminutive index finger not even the size of the monstrous being's pinkie.

"Grandfather Happosai!" The young woman exclaimed, eyeing the tiny elderly man with utter surprised evident on her countenance. It was amazing how the elderly man casually defied gravity without even knowing the ability of flight to stay level with the massive creature.

The call of her occasional molester made Ranma snap her eyes open in astonishment to see the usual perverted, self-centred old man effortlessly blocking a blow that would've taken her face off with one finger, "It's the freak!"

"Ranma, you better leave this one to me!" He advised with a cocky smirk on his face that distinctly made the being's eyes flash red with great anger. The unnaturally short old man wore a purple Gi, complete with pants, had barely any hair save for the string of hair that went around his head and his pencil-shaped moustache and black shoes on his tiny feet.

Before Ranma could make her debrief of such a thing happening known the creature in her front let out a decidedly loud snarl with his head thrown upwards, before throwing another punch at Happosai who deflected it away with a pipe he pulled out of his Gi.

"You need to learn some manners, whippersnapper," Happosai said haughtily, springing to the being's height with an unnatural leap, casually flicking the being to the side directly opposite from the gaping blue haired beauty, "Ha! How did ya like that one fella?" He petulantly boasted.

"I don't believe it! Grandfather Happosai's actually helping Ranma!" The blue haired young woman shockingly exclaimed, almost cringing when the elderly man flicked the demonic-being away as if he was a mere pebble, his massive weight shattering the concrete he thwacked unforgivingly off.

"Gee. Ain't there a first time for everything?" Ranma said dryly, squatting down to watch the fight between the tiny old man and huge demon in bored annoyance, "Big deal, anyway. I coulda dealt with Big O' demon on my own."

The schoolgirl sighed, "And that's why you lost right? Quit being so prideful, Ranma, and just accept that he's really tough."

Ranma glared, "Well next time remind me not ta attempt ta save ya, ya stupid tomboy!" She retorted petulantly, and in a distinguishable Brooklyn accent.

The so-called "tomboy" felt her body twitch out of instinctive reflex and her anger spiked from the given unwanted moniker, "I didn't even ask you, jerk!"

"Well dat's all swell and good then!" Ranma said mockingly, holding out her arms, "Won't even bother next time."

"Fine! I didn't need your help anyway!"

The two were interrupted by the massive demon's form tumbling past the blue haired young woman, rupturing the ground in the process.

"Kyaaa!"

"Old freak?" Ranma asked blankly, disregarding her best friend's scream entirely to take in Happosai's exceedingly prideful expression.

"Hehe! And now for the finisher!" Happosai exclaimed cheerily, spinning on his heels while holding his fist to his side as if he was about to pull out one of his signature bombs, only instead of a detonating device his entire fist was encased by a darkish purple aura that left Ranma in amazement.

"How the heck's he doing that?" The red-haired beauty gaped, wondering if with any luck she could duplicate that specific technique for a boast in not only striking power, but also endurance via using the peculiar aura to cover her body, since her durability had always been her weakest attribute.

"Ha! You're screwed now, ain't-cha fella?" Happosai boasted, leaping sky-high with his little fist glowing strongly, though when he finally looked at his opponent it suddenly drowned on him that he may have taken too long to charge up, "Eh?" He asked blankly, dropping to his feet, much to Ranma's confusion. "Where'd that hoodlum go?"

Ranma's eyes dilated in agape as she hastily turned around to regard the demon for herself, horror appearing on her countenance when she discovered the blue haired young woman was also missing, "Shit!" Frantically searching for her friend, it didn't take Ranma long to find her, in the clutches of the demon who was smirking viciously at Ranma herself, "Akane!"

Acting on _sheer _instinct alone, Ranma desperately galloped after the strange winged-demon who was currently flying at an agonizingly leisured pace, "Come back here, demon!" The red-haired young woman demanded, flinging herself at Akane who was wrapped up tightly in the demon's panty hoses, only to miss completely.

Deciding that was enough teasing, the demon propelled itself higher into the sky, easily getting out of Ranma's reach who dropped to her knees in despair.

"No," Ranma voiced.

A powerful tornado fiercely knocked the bangs of Ranma's hair forward, forcing her to look up blankly, "Eh?" She said before being forced to dive out of the way when the demon's body came flying toward her. The ground was cratered in from the force of the demon slamming into it, leaving Ranma and Happosai utterly startled.

"What the hell was that?" Ranma asked, searching for Akane. She felt a twinge of annoyance spotting Akane in the one arm of a cloaked-individual landing soundlessly on his feet as opposed to the severed demonic-like arm he cut off with his sword, "Hey, you! Put Akane down right now."

The young man chuckled, eliciting inquisitive expressions from Akane and Ranma at the familiar voice. When he would lift up his head, and open his mouth it would become all too clear who he was, even if he looked bizarrely older, "Would it kill you to say please?"

Dilating their eyes, Akane and Ranma couldn't help but voice their unmistakable surprise at such a bombshell simultaneously, "Ryoga/Ryoga-kun?!"

Ryoga looked down at the young woman in his arm with a softened gaze and a warm smile on his countenance, "Hi, Akane. How's it going? I take it Saotome's been treating you well," He chuckled again.

Akane nodded mutely, feeling her face heat up with different shades of red being held so closely by the young man who claimed to be her friend, 'I d-don't get it! Ryoga-kun was only gone for four months. Why does he look so much older than he did before!? Honestly!' Realizing she had yet to answer his previous question she blushed, speaking up shyly, "U-Uh, I'm fine. T-Thanks for asking."

"Good," Ryoga said approvingly.

'No way could pigboy speak to tomboy like he's some kinda stud without stuttering over his words, something smells fishy,' Ranma eyed the cloaked-individual with a suspicious-gaze, watching the rain fall over his form, 'Sides, if he really was Ryoga, he woulda been P-c-.' Ranma felt like facepalming herself when she felt the words leave her mouth before her brain could catch up, 'Of course! If he was really pigboy, he woulda changed by now. Duh! Dat's totally obvious!'

After all, with "Ryoga's" horrendous sense of direction Ranma highly doubted he would've been able to find his find back to Jusenkyo to hop in the Spring of Drowned Boy/Man. Hell, Ranma wasn't expecting Ryoga's arrival for another week or within three days if he was lucky, and she certainly wouldn't have even dreamed of in her worst nightmares he would look like this.

"Who the hell are you?" Ranma demanded curtly, but "Ryoga" didn't even acknowledge her presence.

Akane twirled her head to glare furiously at Ranma, "Quit being so rude to Ryoga-kun!"

Ranma snorted, crossing her arms, "O, please. How dumb do ya think I am huh? I don't believe fer a second that dat guy's actually pigboy! I mean, think 'bout it Akane! How likely does it sound fer someone we knew ta randomly turn up lookin' like he's on steroids? 'Bout as likely as us striking jackpot on the lottery."

Akane blinked blankly, finding Ranma's argument very plausible. Feeling their elevation lowering until her feet was touching the ground, Akane timidly looked at the young man who placed her on her own feet, losing her confidence at the shadow that clouded Ryoga's eyes and emotions, "Uh, Ryoga-kun?" Now that she was standing beside him, she could tell just how much taller Ryoga became. She gaped, 'He's so tall now! He's looks taller than Kasumi-oneesama!'

"I have nothing to prove to the likes of you," Ryoga said darkly, actually making Ranma shrank back on the heels of her feet just from the tone of his voice.

'That settles it! Dis can't be Ryoga, he was never dis scary bee-four!' Ranma internally said in her own accent. Mustering up all the courage she had, Ranma tossed a smirk Ryoga's way, "_Heh. _Ya just did, ya fool. The-Ryoga I knew always wanted to prove himself against me." The young man's eyes sharpened in a deadly serious manner, making Ranma cringe as she threw her hands around in a frantic fashion, "Okay, okay! It was just a joke! Can't ya take a joke-." She shut her trap once Ryoga disappeared as if he was never there to begin with

Blankly blinking her eyes, Ranma scratched her head, "Eh? Where did pigboy go dis time?" Regarding Akane's excessive gawking expression with a confused tilt of her head, Ranma couldn't help but mock her, "Ya know if ya keep yer mouth open like that yer gonna catch fil-."

"_That _Ryoga," Ranma heard Ryoga's voice curtly cut her off with a frustrated edge to his voice. Well, at least his love for Akane hadn't changed, if he was "Ryoga" of course. That aside: Ranma whirled around to face Ryoga, only to end up in terrified acknowledgement. He had completely severed the demon's head off of his shoulders without even getting an ounce of blood on his 'sword.' Ranma was just thankful Ryoga was kind enough to slay the demon before it could get close to her, otherwise the fountain of blood that was released from the empty stump would've gotten all over her.

"-Is no longer among us," Ryoga finished coolly, showing no remorse for the being he slayed as he lowered his sword. Ranma and Akane watched in stupefaction when a green glow of power completely engulfed Ryoga's blade, dispensing to leave a simple caveman-like club in its place.

'A club, dat was nuthin' but a lousy club? What a gip!' Ranma mused in frustration to mask her wariness of the man before her, but no matter what she did, she just couldn't shake the fear she was feeling. What if she could no longer defeat Ryoga? 'Naw, I can till handle pigboy no problemo-.' She cringed when Ryoga stared at her with a detached expression.

"And don't you forget that."

Forget? How could Ranma forget it?

THIS clearly wasn't the same stupid, easily angered, gullible lost-boy she occasionally loved to tease.

And to put it bluntly, Ranma kind of missed him.

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><p>XxX<p>

Base Ryoga's stats

Destructive power: **Large Planet Level****  
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Speed: **Massively Hypersonic plus**

Striking power:** Island level Plus**

Ki-Honing: **Subpar**

Fighting competence: **Average **

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><p>XxX<p>

Ranma's stats

Destructive power: **Small Building level****  
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Speed: **Faster than the eye can see****  
><strong>

Striking power:** Boulder level**

Ki-Honing: **Outstanding  
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Fighting competence: **Phenomenal ****  
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><p><span>Ryoga's abilities <span>

Weaponry Manipulation**: Sending his Ki into his signature club, Ryoga can change its shape and size to that of any melee weapon he sees fit.**

Flight**: ****Using his Ki to push himself off of the ground and levirate into the sky, Ryoga can send himself off flying in any given directions he desires. **

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><p><strong>And that's the prologue. But before I go I gotta give a shout out to two authors, Rowan Seven and Claymade. Their wonderful stories - Fighter Ryoga vs Magical Girl Ranko and Right Place, Right Time - were what inspired me to write this one. So, yeah. Not much else to say, but keep up the sound work guys. <strong>


	2. The Untouchable One

**Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z or Ranma 1/2**

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><p>A blur of static-lines quickly materialized to reveal Ryoga, holding an unconscious Ranma in his arms, with a gawking Akane intertwining their arms together. Blinking her eyes, the blue haired beauty tried to theorize how they could go from one location to another in the time-span of a mere second, at best.<p>

"I don't believe it," Akane said inaudibly, looking at the front door of her father's home that the Saotomes had also set up stay at with disbelief, "W-We're here. Just like that. I-I honestly don't know what to say."

"Well I suppose you could start off by saying 'thank you'," Ryoga laughed, finding Akane's reaction to his Instantaneous Transmission technique just so innocently amusing.

Turning her head toward Ryoga, Akane quickly looked down to her toes, a couple of bright pink shades of embarrassment adorning her cheeks, "O-oh, right. Thank you for bringing us home. I really appreciate it. And," She deadpanned a look at the redhead in Ryoga's arms, "-I'm sure Ranma will once he wakes up."

Ryoga glanced down at his former rival with a calm smile of serenity, "You could very well be correct in your assumption, since it is you vouching for Saotome. And who else knows him better than his _fiancée_," He stated with an extremely foreign puckish tone completely at odds with the Ryoga of old.

"Oi, you!" Akane jokingly reprimanded the bandana-clad Z-warrior, playfully stomping her foot on the ground with a bright smile, "It was daddy's and Uncle Saotome's idea to marry Ranma and I, not mine." A flimsy excuse made all the more apparent by the awkward actions of Akane rubbing her arm and distinctly avoiding Ryoga's piercing gaze, "I-I'm j-just obligated by daddy's wishes and family-honour to merge the Tendo and Saotome schools together."

Ryoga regarded the shy girl with a cold, unemotional gaze that could've even made the devil itself flinch, but softening it to one of mild neutrality when Akane cringed from his hell-freezing glance.

"Sure. If you say so," Ryoga said, regarding the darkened clouds above their heads.

A part of Ryoga wondered if Akane knew the full implications of the Saotome/Tendo engagement. If the answer turned out that she did, than it'll baffle Ryoga for all eternity why such an independent girl like Akane would be content to sit at home and pump out the next generation of Saotome/Tendo while her "loving husband" nurtures the next production of aspiring martial artists.

As much as Ryoga hated to admit to such, fresh kids with the ambition to be world class fighters will undoubtedly not want to train under what they and most likely their parents believe to be an inferior female-sensei. It didn't help matters much when that female was a million miles behind her significant other.

Of course the "true" meaning behind Akane's weak excuse had nothing to do with carrying on her father's school and merging it with the Tendo's, as much as it pained Ryoga to admit.

"S-Should we, uhm, go in?" Akane indirectly broke Ryoga out of his internal monologue with her tentative question. More so feeling Ryoga's eyes than seeing them on her, Akane offered her saviour a shy smile, before softly laying her hand atop his arm, "-My fair, gallant knight. Hey, you can tell me how you teleported us here!"

Nodding his acceptance, Ryoga turned cool, concentrated eyes to the direction of the door, subtly feeling a microscopic Ki-signature approaching.

"No need," The warrior stated, catching Akane's confused expression outside his peripheral vision, "Your sister's about to open the door."

The creaks of an opening door caught Akane's ears before she could even show Ryoga her amazement. Twirling her head to the door just in time to see it pushed open, Akane was in awe to find that Ryoga's precognition turned out to be true. Standing in the doorway was Akane's overly polite sister - the embodiment of a traditional housewife - Kasumi Tendo.

She looked as exactly as Ryoga remembered her last he had seen her, with her long sulky brown hair styled in a loose, slack ponytail by a white hair-bobble and was hung over her shoulder. Her gentle brown eyes were all the proof a warrior of Ryoga's calibre needed to know she had led a pampered lifestyle, having been closed off from the world.

Kasumi's attire further cemented Ryoga's evaluation of the demure lady, being that they consisted of a short-sleeved white blouse underneath a long modest baby-blue dress, covered by a white apron.

She even had on white slippers, hinting that she rarely left home.

"My, welcome back, little sister," The maidenly sibling greeted the younger one with a distinguishable polite tone in her voice and a cheery smile on her face, though it did lessen somewhat when she found her future brother-in-law in the arms of a rather handsome individual, "And you brought company. Oh dear, Ranma-chan looks like she had an… unpleasant experience. It was really nice of you to bring her back… uhm," Looking concerned, Kasumi meekly clarified, "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I don't know your name sir."

Of all the ways a young man who Kasumi was "unfamiliar" with could've responded, chuckling heartily certainly wasn't one of them, 'I know it's to be expected considering how much time has passed here in comparison to Goku's world, but damn it, I would be lying if I said these reactions to my older appearance weren't hilarious as all hell. Hahahaha!'

Kasumi was just happy that she had made someone laugh, even if she didn't "know him" per say, "My, it's nice to see you in such high spirits, sir!" Kasumi smiled brightly, "Now if only I knew your name…"

"But that's the thing though!" Akane excitedly chimed in with a broad smile, "You do know him, Kasumi-oneesama!"

"Oh?" Kasumi said enquiringly, sounding concerned, "I… do?"

"Yep! It's just Ryoga-kun!" Akane supplied exhilaratingly, gigging at the look of surprised recognition that befell Kasumi's countenance. "He came back four years older! Can you believe that?"

Kasumi gasped with her hands shielding her mouth and lit-up pink-coloured cheeks, "Oh my, you're older than me now."

"Sure am. I'm twenty now," Ryoga confirmed with a smile.

"Oh? Why, I wish you happy birthday four times," The eldest Tendo sibling said, cupping her cheek delicately, "I feel kind of silly now. You really have become quite handsome, Ryoga-kun."

"Appreciated," Ryoga coolly accepted Kasumi's compliment.

Glancing at the redhead in Ryoga's arms, Kasumi's smile only brightened, if possible at all, "Oh my, you've been reacquainted with Ranma-chan! How nice! You two were always such good friends!" Ryoga tittered in a fond fashion.

Leave it to Kasumi to see the best in any possible situation no matter how suspect it appeared.

Looking at Akane, it seemed even she shared Ryoga's fond amusement towards Kasumi's infinite kindness, because she let out cute giggles in sync with Ryoga's titters. When they had realized they had laughed simultaneously, they both leaned into each other, laughing away like a couple of old friends reminiscing over the good old days.

"You never fail to provide, Kasumi-san!" Ryoga joked, knowing someone could either interpret his joke positively or negatively. On the positive side of the fence he could be saying Kasumi contained a myriad of wisdom, but on the negative side he might have just called her a clown, therefore discreetly ridiculing her.

Since this was Kasumi who he had told this to, she perceived Ryoga's joke in a positive light, merely smiling at the humorous young man with her hands clasped above her waist, "My, you're so funny, Ryoga-kun!" She complimented, earning herself a smirk from Ryoga, "Well, you'd better come in. You're getting soaked! I'll retrieve the hot water from the stove for Ranma-chan."

"Thanks, oneesama!" Akane said with a perkiness clearly inherited from her father.

"That's okay, dear. I have a certain fondness to be of assistance to those closest to me," Kasumi explained calmly. Nodding slowly, Kasumi cheerfully trotted back into the house to carry out her dutiful endeavour, completely missing the look of admiration on her little sister's face.

'Kasumi-oneesama makes housekeeping look easy, gosh!' Akane looked crestfallen when she recalled her own attempts to be a proficient modern housewife had fallen flat on their faces, 'I-I wish I had that kind of talent, but that stupid, insensitive jerk Ranma won't even try my cooking.'

"Shall we?" Ryoga asked, getting a blank expression from Akane before it slowly morphed into a happy smile. Despite Ryoga becoming back four years older, he still had the fundamental core of his polite personality. Maybe that was why she had always liked him.

"Of course, Ryoga-kun," Akane agreed almost dreamily, seeing the nod from Ryoga and taking it as her cue to lead him into the Tendo residence. 'Even if that jerk Ranma doesn't like my cooking I know someone who will,' She smiled, 'And he's more of a gentleman than Ranma ever will be.'

XxX

**Chapter Two**

The

Untouchable

One

XxX

Once they had stepped foot into the Dojo, Ryoga closed the door while watching Akane neatly slip off her shoes, then turning toward him with a kind smile.

"Would you like to take off your shoes?" Akane asked politely.

Ryoga mumbled his lips as if he was weighting the positives and negatives such an action warranted, "Sure," He said, kicking off his own shoes in an ungraceful fashion. He then made up for his mistake by lining up his shoes next to Akane's much smaller ones, "All done."

Akane nodded, once again comparing Ryoga's actions to Ranma's, 'Ranma wouldn't have done that.' No, he would have just thrown his shoes off carelessly, relying on Kasumi to line them up properly. He was just too inconsiderate.

"Thanks, I'm sure Kasumi-oneesama will be happy," Akane insisted, receiving a nod from Ryoga.

"I'm sure," Ryoga said in agreement.

Getting a timid gesture from Akane to follow her, Ryoga did so, moving past the stairwell that led to the rooms which were preoccupied by the residents. Too many times had Ryoga been up there in his piglet form.

He just needed his fix. But now, those days were behind him.

P-chan was dead.

It didn't take long for Akane and Ryoga to reach the others. Really, the hallway of the Tendo-Dojo was actually very small, only leading one way, so even someone like Ryoga couldn't get lost. Though with his faulty sense of direction he could look blankly at a wall, believe he had come the wrong way, and take a complete U-turn back the way he came instead of looking in the direction he should've taken.

Akane's eyes lit up at the sight of a sunburned-man facing a fairly huge black and white panda. His black hair was long and fell to his back, he had a matching small black moustache, and his outfit comprised of a grey long-sleeved karate-styled Gi-top, held closed by a black sash, and grey pants. Since he was in the comfort of his own home it was self-explanatory why he was barefoot.

"Papa!" Akane called out perkily, getting her father's attention who was in the middle of an intense shogi game with the panda.

Due to his favourite daughter's cheer, the patriarch of the Tendo Dojo made one crucial mistake he would rue for many days to come; he took his intense, concentrated stare off of the shogi board, missing the gleam of a masterful opportunist occurring in the panda's eye.

"Akane-chan?" He would blankly call out to her just as the panda would sneakily rotate the board in a complete full turn so fast only Ryoga foresaw his movements clearly.

Practically being body-checked by his baby girl, he sheepishly, yet willing patted his daughter on her back, "Yes, dear. Daddy's overjoyed to see you too, but he's in the middle of an important game with Saotome now."

Briefing locking eyes with the troublesome irises of the panda, Tendo noted him concealing a smirk with a quick well-placed poker-face, 'Hm. I say, Saotome's acting rather… suspect. I wonder, has he mayb-.'

"I think she's looking to be consoled, Tendo-san," Before Soun Tendo could make a quick observation of the Shogi board, a familiar polite tone reached his ears, making him look up to find a cloaked-young man carrying his son-in-law to-be.

"Ah. I take it this nice fellow you brought home is Ryoga-kun," Soun said happily, wrapping his daughter up in both of his arms when he could feel her noticeably shake.

Receiving a nod from the cloaked-young man he went on to clarify how he knew of his identity before he could even reveal it to him, "I vaguely remember Kasumi-dear informing me of your arrival when she passed through. I-." He felt intimidated when he took in Ryoga's now massive built, "-S-See y-you've growth massively on your journey, lad. Well done. Yes."

Now unambiguously curious at his old friend's nervous-given compliment to a young man he referred to as his son's frenemy, Genma Saotome ended up spinning around to take in Ryoga's appearance for himself.

"…"

…Needless to say Genma felt as if he was looking up at a herculean giant. His shoulders and pecks were so broad now, the cloak could barely conceal their size. Truth be told, it made Genma a little envious. Little envious as in he could keep the majority if he could hand Genma that luscious crop of black hair on his head.

*Sigh.* What Genma wouldn't do for a full head of hair.

Giving Ryoga a really pronounced bug-eyed look, Genma miraculously materialized a wooden sign with his Ki, with a simplistic compliment engraved on the sign. *Some growth spurt.* Clearly, the sign wasn't the only thing that came right out of Genma's rear end.

"Thanks," Ryoga gave them a smirk of jocularity. With a twirl of his heels, Ryoga faced the wall, bending down on one knee to perch the unconscious redhead up against the wall, serenity evident on his countenance, 'Heh. I finally beat you, eh Saotome?'

"Although I would have been lying had I said I didn't find your growth spurt odd, lad," Soun said blandly, scratching the top of his head, "I wasn't aware there were magic mushrooms with the odd power to accelerate growth instead of regressing it."

Genma cocked his head backward in an attempt to observe his sleeping child. Flipping around his sign in a blurring way, Genma made his question known. *What happened to the boy?*

Standing up to his full height, Ryoga removed his huge shadow from Ranma's petite frame by stepping to the side to give Genma a full view of his son-turned-daughter. Removing any lingering truces of mirth from his visage, Ryoga flatly filled Genma in on the blanks, "I knocked him out."

Vacantly blinking their eyes, Soun and Genma showed each other their inscrutable faces, before glancing back to the expressionless Ryoga.

"I say, is that so, lad?" It was clearly Soun who had voiced his and Genma's question.

"Yes," Ryoga confirmed, not going out of his stoic-exterior, "I believe him being asleep is all the proof I need, wouldn't you think?"

They would. What really sold the factuality of Ryoga's self-proclaimed victory over Ranma was his complete dead-serious expression. See – they were under the belief that they could discern just about every lie(s) from anyone. It really was a simple trick and something neither Genma nor Soun would brag about. When someone tells a fib, they could usually decipher the cock-and-bull elements of it via the offender's facial expression.

Had Ryoga been lying, he would've been a laughing mess.

"I say, that's quite the achievement." Soun complimented with a smile.

Genma nodded in pride of Ryoga's attainment since it just meant his son had another mountain of an obstacle to overcome. He held up a sign to depict his agreement with Tendo, *Yes, I agree.* Crossing his arms after throwing away his sign, Genma closed his eyes, trying to give off the illusion of a sagacious aura. When he was able to gather his words, he held up another wooden sign.

*It had always been my credence that the harmless, light-hearted sport you and my boy daily partook in would push the pair of you slackers to new, unimaginable heights.* Flipping his sign around, he continued with some awkward sweat on his panda-face. *U-Uh. Of course that till applies even if you had gained most of your new strength from your own journey. It just means I'll have to up my boy's training to make up for the gap you've put between the two of you!*

"Sure, sure; you can if you want." Ryoga said in a disinterested manner, catching movement out of the corner of his eyes. Casually spinning his head, Ryoga would notice Akane's other older sister, the middle daughter of Soun Tendo, crossing her arms and wearing a tight black leotard to blatantly flex her luscious limps and curvaceous body.

"Don't mind me, I'm just enjoying the show," The leotard-clad young woman with a crop of short light chocolate brown hair that fell to her shoulders smirked skittishly at Ryoga.

Ryoga calmly took his eyes off of the middle Tendo, closing them afterward in nonchalant reflection, 'Nabiki.'

"Why lad, I must say, you're being remarkably humble and sportsmanlike in the aftermath of your defeat of Ranma. I find such an approach rather endearing. I must commend it," Soun smiled, turning to Genma, "Wouldn't you agree Saotome?"

Genma feverishly held up a sign with a nod of his head, *Yes, the boy's showing an admirable level of maturity.*

Ryoga shook his head with an ironic smile on his face. He was a grown man now and Genma till had the audacity to call him "boy." _Heh. _Such a moniker was almost enough to make him laugh, but in a good, positive way, the kind of way that signified Genma had made a funny joke.

"Daddy," Akane hazily whimpered in her father's arms.

"Oh Akane-dear," Soun blinked, looking down into the tearful expression of his daughter. He instantly became worried, "What's the matter, dear? Did Saotome promise Ranma-kun's hand to another fellow's daughter?" He sent a commanding gaze at a now nervous panda.

*Who? What? Where?* His sign read as he speedily moved his head in many directions so fast he ended up creating multiple afterimages.

Before Soun could lambaste Genma's 'recklessness,' Akane's wail forced him into a different course of action, "I was so scared, daddy!"

Fluttering his eyes in incomprehension, Genma watched Soun gently massage his future daughter-in-law's back and offer her some soothing words, "Oh, Akane. It's going to be okay. After all, don't all our problems resolve themselves in the end?!" Soun asked with excessive cheerfulness, "I'm sure Saotome didn't intend to p-."

"An asinine love triangle isn't what has her so upset," Ryoga said, choosing to speak up for the distraught Akane. He signed with slight annoyance as everyone with the exception of Akane turned inquisitive expressions to him, "She was almost kidnapped today."

The reactions to Ryoga's statement varied to two sides. Genma and Soun paled considerably, looking as white as a pair of ghosts, and Nabiki just droned as if she merely filed the information away for later with an impressive poker-face.

"What?" Soun gasped audibly, delicately grasping Akane's shoulders. Feeling her father's gestures, Akane took that as her cue to raise her head up, almost breaking Soun's heart. Her eyes were completely misted by tears, "Akane-dear, is this true?"

Nodding timidly, Akane struggled to hold in her tears, "Y-Yes, daddy. If it hadn't of been for Ryoga-kun, a monster would've taken me away to who knows w-where." Her voice was breaking.

"Oh Akane!" Soun wailed, clutching his sobbing daughter for dear life.

Something in Akane's admittance struck Genma's interpretation at odd. Holding up a sign Genma probed into the matter, *What does she mean by "if it hadn't of been for Ryoga"? What about the boy? Wasn't he with her?*

Ryoga would be spared the slight exertion of straight-up telling Genma that his son was simply outmatched by the demon who had attempted to take Akane, "I think it's pretty clear that "monster" was too much for even "little _miss _Saotome" to handle, Uncle." Nabiki did so with a sneer, making Genma hang his head with a raised sign.

*Oh the shame.*

Hearing the jaunty tune of the eldest sister, Ryoga calmly turned his head, in turn making Nabiki do so also, both spotting Kasumi sauntering toward them with a kettle of warm water held in her grip.

"Good eye." Nabiki quipped with a smirk.

"Thanks," Ryoga mumbled.

"Here we go, Uncle." Kasumi said softly, pouring an ounce of warm water over the panda.

"~Ah! Much better," Genma said contently. The factuality of Genma returning to his human-form with his clothes still attached to his body had always annoyed Ryoga. It just didn't seem fair. Every time either himself, Shampoo, or Mousse was splashed with cold water they always lost their clothes.

Though Ryoga proposed that could partially be explained to the height and size of Genma's cursed form in comparison to his human form. Unlike the ones who couldn't keep their clothes on when they changed into animals, Genma's panda form was actually bigger than his human form, not smaller.

Dumping the remaining hot water on Ranma's head, Kasumi was pleased to see the redhead-quickly-turned-black-haired youth visibly reacting to the warm liquid, "Ah. You're awake now. That's nice." Kasumi said melodically, watching Ranma place his hand to his temple.

"Aw, man. What the heck happened? Feel like the darn lights just sorta turned off," Ranma said in annoyance.

"Seems like little Saotome doesn't want to accept his loss to Hibiki," Nabiki sneered, putting a blank expression on Ranma's face before he turned to regard her, only to end up gasping at the sight of Ryoga, "How surprising."

"Oh right," Ranma said in recognition, leaping up to his feet with a smirk on his face, "We till gotta have our fight. Whaddya say, tough guy?" He had to save face somehow, or in this case it would be more appropriate to say he needed to regain his lost face. His ego was bruised, and he needed it mended, but the only way he could do that was to beat the one who had humbled him in the first place.

Ryoga snorted, "You mean the fight we already had? The one I won with one well-placed stroke to your neck?" His calm retort made Ranma scowl, "Sure. If you're pining for another beat down so bad I'll be happy to oblige."

"S-Shut u-up!" Ranma yelled with a scarce tremble in his voice eliciting a glare from Akane for his troubles, "I'm telling ya dat wasn't a real fight! Dat was ya using the element of surprise ta yer advantage!" He lamely smirked in a feeble attempt to emanate confidence, tremblingly wiping the bridge of his nose with his thumb, "_H-Heh. _T-The w-way I see it, now dat I'm prepared I'll be sending your ass packing on another one of your wacky ageing journeys, pal."

"Grr," Genma growled lowly, effortlessly catching Ranma's attention as he rose up to a standing position. "Stupid boy!" He yelled, throwing a heavy left-hook into Ranma's face, sending the black-haired youth crashing into the wall with so much force it cracked under the impact of which Ranma smacked into it.

"Whatcha do that for?" Ranma furiously whined, but Genma only stood over him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, blasting him into the face with another left-jab.

"Foolish boy! Haven't I taught you humility? A true martial artist honourably accepts defeat even at the hands of a rival but in return strives to close the lofty gap between themselves and their rivals!" Genma lectured with an honourable air hanging over him.

Grabbing his dad's Gi-top, Ranma dirtily and savagely pulled him down into a head-butt of ferocity, making him stagger back. The rebellious youth took the opportunity to skilfully leap up, glaring mightily at his father, "O, yeah. Ya taught me alright. Taught me how ta sell off your own son fer a free meal, ya darn cheapskate."

Genma pouted with disdain and crossed arms, turning his head away from Ranma, "Even aspiring martial artists needs nutrition." Feeling a sharp blow impact into his kidney, Genma was unable to bear the force of it and consequently plummeted to the ground.

"Aw, stuff your flimsy excuses, old man!"

Pushing himself up with his hands, Genma wiped the saliva from the edge of his lips, "Seems I'll have to beat this lesson into that thick-skull of yours, boy," Bouncing speedily up to his feet regardless of his size, Genma sent a haymaker of an uppercut skywards on course for Ranma's chin. In retaliation to his father's attack, Ranma stiffened his stance, catching Genma's blow in a double-handed clap between his forearms.

"_Heh. _I'd love ta see ya try, pop!" Lifting up his leg for his signature afterimage-inducing snap-kicks, Ranma glowered in exasperation when his father deflected it off course with a simple raised knee.

"You'll have to try better than that if you want to beat your old man, BOY!" Genma boasted, increasing Ranma's scowl before it turned into his trademark smirk. What ensued was what the father/son duo's fellow residents had come to know as their traditional father/son ritual, which quickly ended up outside, much to Soun's relief.

Luckily for the water-prone fighters, the heavens had been kind enough to stop the rain flow so they were free to spar without getting forcibly changed.

"Well, there they go, at it again," Soun sighed with a nonchalance air, far too used to this to be surprised anymore. Feeling his daughter leave his arms, he perked up, "Oh Akane-dear! I take it you're feeling better now?" He asked hopefully, though the way her delicate face was crinkled up in a lour expression showed she was far from "okay."

"I don't believe this! He gets up, and the first thing he does is start trouble! Honestly!" Akane whined, "No wonder my baby P-chan hasn't come back!"

Ignoring her sister, Nabiki slid up to the side of an unresponsive Ryoga, "So why haven't you changed yet?" Nabiki asked inquisitively, earning herself the same cold stare from Ryoga, "C'mon, you can feel free to tell me. I won't "tell" anyone," She whispered with equal amounts of feigned conviviality and mock-innocence in her voice.

Swivelling back around to monitor the brawl between father and son in bored indifference, Ryoga's answer to Nabiki would be a question of his own, "Why haven't I changed if I'm drenched from head to toe?" It wasn't a lie or even the total truth. It was just discreetly giving Nabiki the answer _he _chose to give her without actually giving her the answer _she _wanted to hear, sort of like an innuendo.

"Oh touché!" Nabiki mockingly applauded, folding her arms underneath her perky breasts, before coolly leaning her frame up against the wall. Presently, Ryoga was curse-free. She needed to know how so she could sell the "method of removal" to the unfortunates who were still cursed.

"But you know as well as I do, it's only a matter of time till I get my hands on that profitable information," She shrugged casually to disguise the warning as a suggestion. "It would be in your best interest to fork over the invaluable documentation in full detail ASAP, lest certain… ahem." The brown-haired crafty young woman coughed indistinctly, "-Secrets come to light."

Ryoga continued to gaze dispassionately at Genma and Ranma, paying absolutely no heed to Nabiki's sickly sweet smile. At first she thought he was merely trying to desperately and pitifully cover-up his jittery emotions, since it _was _still Ryoga (Mr Gullible), but the longer Nabiki stared at Ryoga with her patented sneer firmly glued to her face the more she began to wonder was the unflinching Ryoga even taking her seriously.

That little startling revelation made Nabiki recoil with barely suppressed annoyance. If there was one thing Nabiki Tendo hated, it was a wannabe hotshot not taking her threats seriously. No one did that in fear that she'd make their lives one-big misery. One could just ask Ranma for certitude.

The poor boy's afraid to even breathe around Nabiki!

Nabiki would use the dirt she had against them to torment them, and if she didn't have that than she would simply snoop around like a detective to dig up some dirt.

"You know, I thought it would be beneficial for you to know that I have a few incriminate photos stashed securely of a certain little piglet changing into a-."

"Blackmail will get you nowhere, _Tendo,_" Ryoga coldly cut off Nabiki's casual declaration, rotating his head to just gaze at Nabiki's empty countenance. The money-grubber was lost for words at such an apathetic resistance.

She shook her head, trying to regain her lost composure, "I'm sorry, but correct me if I'm wrong, but did I just hear you turning down my offer, Hibiki?" Ryoga could sense the rage slowly beginning to boil inside of Nabiki; she clearly wasn't used to her targets displaying anything remotely resembling defiance. "You know, that's going to cost ya. I'll just append an additional payment of twenty percent onto your protection fee."

Nabiki had expected Ryoga to do one of many things, such as, stutter helplessly, beg her to lower the increased bill, or hang his head in defeat. What she didn't expect him to do, however, was just revolve his head back to the fight between Genma and Ranma like he had done so the first time around.

Now Nabiki was truly miffed.

"You do that then. It'll be interesting to see where you'll get the money from."

"I believe that's self-explanatory, don't you Hibiki?" Nabiki almost chuckled.

"I don't."

"Then I guess little sis will be receiving new photos to add to her photo album of her precious little piglet. Won't that make her happy?" Nabiki said sarcastically, a mischievous grin on her face as she whirled to face Akane and Soun. Miraculously, the two had been so engaged in the brawl between Genma and Ranma they hadn't even noticed the heated debate going on between Ryoga and Nabiki.

"If you wish to blackmail me," Ryoga started calmly, (like the thunderstorms waiting in the shadows) waiting patiently until Nabiki brought her head back to him before he rose his hand up, though the young woman did so in a slow, satisfied manner, as if relishing the taste of victory on her tongue. Not even Ryoga gripping a handle poking out of the top of his cloak could damper Nabiki's self-assurance.

"…Then I will have to assassinate you."

"…"

"…"

"…"

…That was, more than proficient to knock Nabiki straight off of her comfort horse. Her eyes quickly dilated with horror, her previously crossed arms falling limply to her sides.

"No," Nabiki frantically denied, shaking her head as she tried to lull the consternation building up inside of her heart. "You're kidding," She forced out an indistinct chuckle, forcing herself to believe this was all just an unfunny joke on Ryoga's part. "Very funny, Hibiki," Nabiki sarcastically said, "You almost had me. But you forget I'm not your little play buddy, Saotome. I won't easily be swayed by your petty threats."

She almost squeaked when Ryoga flashed in front of her, moving his head to hers, "If you think I'm here to play games like I used to do back when I was younger, then you're sadly mistaken… little girl." His voice – so close to her face – echoed in her ear with undying intimidation, sending a shiver up her spine, "Consider this next time you have the gall to brush off my threat as something a misguided kid would spout. How do you think I stopped the 'monster' who tried to kidnap your sister, huh?"

The implications of the air-quotes around the word 'monster' and the rhetorical question in of itself had Nabiki gasping for air, "You killed… 'it'?"

"You're partially right." Ryoga said approvingly, though the sheer ghostly smile he had on his face had Nabiki alarmed, "That 'it' you inquired about however, was, according to Akane and Saotome, an unfortunate victim of Jusenkyo, who just happened to be a victim of my wrath. No pun intended," He chucked in dark amusement.

This was something he had inherited from one of his teachers, as Goku wasn't the only one. According to the ruthless one – he believed Ryoga needed some level of cold-hearted realization to balance out 'Kakarot's' tree-hugging idealism. The result was a man who would stop at nothing to maintain the peace in the world, even if it meant getting his hands dirty.

To Ryoga, aka the Dark Hero of justice, it was just par for the course.

"I expected as much from your insinuation," Nabiki scowled to mask her fear. She had always believed she was cold, willing to sell out her own family to make a quick buck for herself, but she could never kill another human being and actually be somewhat proud of her heinous deed, 'And people often call me the "ice queen".'

Nabiki was noticeably relieved when Ryoga withdrew his head from hers.

"So now that we're clear, you _won't _be blackmailing _me_. Am I correct in my deduction? _Please_, correct me if I'm wrong."

_Ouch. _He actually sarcastically quoted Nabiki's previous words. Way to add insult to injury, but unfortunately for Nabiki, she could only nod mutely, too afraid to oppose the murderous young man.

* * *

><p><span>Ryoga's abilities<span>

Weaponry Manipulation**: Sending his Ki into his signature club, Ryoga can change its shape and size to that of any melee weapon he sees fit.**

Flight**: ****Using his Ki to push himself off of the ground and levirate into the sky, Ryoga can send himself off flying in any given directions he desires.**

Instantaneous Transmission**: Having ironically inherited this technique from a different source, Ryoga is able to teleport himself and anyone who happens to have contact on his person across the galaxy in the friction of a mere second, or arguably less, so-long as he stays concentrated. If he happens to lose focus, then it's anyone's guess where he could end up.**


End file.
